Process of refining mineral oils.



STATES PATENT Orrrcm' THOMAS MACALPINE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALCOHOL SYNDICATE, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF REFINING MINERAL OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,500, dated August '7, 1900.

Application filed May 25, 1899. Serial No. 718,303. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern: subjected to the action of acetylene gas inter- Be it known that I, THOMAS MAOALPINE, mittently for some time. The acetylene gas a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, recauses a precipitate containing manganese to siding at Ohiswick, London, in the county of be thrown down, which precipitate is then 5 Middlesex, England, have invented certain separated by filtration in the usual manner. new and useful Improvements in Processes of The above processes are usually conducted Refining Mineral Oils; and Ido hereby declare at the ordinary temperatures; but to accelerthe following to be a full, clear, and exact deate the process the temperatures of the soluscription of the invention, such as will enable tions may be slightly raised, and to increase 10 others skilled in the art to which it appertains the speed of absorption the acetylene gas may to make and use the same. p be introduced into the liquid mixture under My invention relates to a process of refinpressure. Having thus prepared my acetying mineral oils chiefly by the aid of a special lene compound of manganese, I take crude preparation of manganese. This manganese mineral oil and treat it with said manganese 15 compound is prepared in the following mancompound in the following way: To one hunner: To a solution or emulsion composed of dred gallons of oil I add five pounds or there water containing the oxids, hydrates or carabout of the manganese compound and albonates of calcium, barium, magnesium, solow the whole to rest for several hours or days, dium, potassium, or ammonium is added a with occasional agitation, or the mixture may 2o nearly-saturated solution of the permangabe submitted to continual agitation for sevnates or manganates of calcium, barium, mageral hours. I then allow the mixture to setnesium, sodium, potassium, or ammonium, tie, and when subsidence has taken place the and the mixture is treated with acetylene gas, oil is removed and distilled.

which is either obtained in the ordinary way 'IVith veryimpurepetroleum or mineral oils 25 by the mutual decomposition of water and I may use an alkali to assist the action of the calcium carbid and passed into the mixture manganese, and if such oils are very impure, or is produced directly in the mixture itself indeed, I may use a mineral acid, preferably by introducing calcium carbid thereinto. sulfuric acid. When an alkali is used, the

In practice I find it convenient to take a proportions are about as follows: For every 30 solution in water of carbonate of sodium or ten pounds of the manganese compound precarbonate of potash or of a mixture of the pared as above described from four to five two of a specific gravity of about 1.07, alpounds of caustic soda or caustic potash are though it is to be understood that I do not remixed with the oil before the addition of the strict myself to these substances, but may manganese compound, and in case acid is 5 use any of the substances mentioned above. used for every ten pounds of the manganese To this solution I add a saturated or nearlycompound fouror five pounds of concentrated saturated solution in water of permanganate sulfuric acid diluted with about seven times of potash, taking care not to add an excess. its weight of water are used, which acid may The point at which the addition of permanbe mixed with the oil before the addition o ganate should be stopped can be determined thereto of the manganese compound.

by observing the color of the solution or emnl- In case acid is used after the action of the sion. If an excess of permanganate is used, manganese compound upon the oil I may add the color will be purplish red. The addition a sufficient quantity of alkali to neutralize of the permanganate should be stopped as all excess of acid. The salt thus formed and 5 5 soon as a faint reddish tinge appears in the sothe excess of alkali are removed by washing lution or emulsion. It should be understood the oil with water, after which the oil is disthat I do not limit myself to the permangatilled either with or without filtration or subnate of potash, but that any of the permansidence. In the operation of distillation it ga-nates or manganates mentioned above may is advantageous to do this undera complete or mo 50 be used. When the proper amount of perpartial vacuum. This may be done either by manganate has been added, the mixture is means of a surface condenser fitted up in the usual way with air and circulating pumps or by bringing the hot vapor-into direct contact with a jet of water in a condenser, both being thereafter discharged by the air-pump into a tank or cistern. The oil will float and the water may be drawn off from below and used over again, if desired.

While I have thus described my invention,

I desire to have it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the exact method described. Many variations in the process might occur without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, after treatment with the manganese compound I may remove the oil therefrom by filtration and then distil the oil; or instead of separating the oil from the manganese compound before distillation the oil may be directly distilled from the mixture without any such operation, and it is obvious that the treatment may be hastened by agitation either by means of compressed air or any suitable mechanical means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the action of a compound of acetylene and manganese, substantially as described.

2. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the action of a compound of acetylene and manganese and separating the purified oil from the mixture, substantially as described.

3. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the action of a compound of acetylene and manganese, with or without the ad:

dition of other purifying agents, allowing the,

4. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the joint action of a compound of acetylene and manganese and an alkali, substantially as described.

5. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the joint action of a compound of acetylene and manganese and a mineral acid, substantially as described.

6. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the joint action of a compound of acetylene and manganese and a mineral acid, removing the excess of acid by treatment with a neutralizing agent, such as alkali, washing out the excess of said agent and distilling the oil with orwithout filtering or settling, substantially as described.

7. The process of refining petroleum and mineral oils, which consists in subjecting them to the action of a compound of acetylene and manganese, with or without the addition of other purifying agents, allowing, the mixture to settle, with or without agitation, removing the oil and distilling under a partial or complete vacuum, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. THOMAS MAOALPINE. Witnesses:

FREDERIC PRINCE, CHARLES S. MOLE. 

